Figure Eight Puffer going Blind !?!

[babyboyblue]

30 Gallon Long Tank
Filter 1 - Marineland Emperor 280
Filter 2 - AquaClear 70
Freshwater (was going to start adding salinity next weekend)
Lightly Moderately Planted
Once a week 50% water change

Dry Ferts Added for Plants
1/4 Tsp-KN03 (Potassium Nitrate) 3x a week
1/16 Tsp-KH2P04 (Mono Potassium Phosphate) 3x a week
1/16 Tsp-K2SO4 (Potassium Sulfate) 3x a week
1/16Tsp-Trace 3x a week
1-2ml-Fe/Iron 3x a week

Tank cycled 1.5 months ago
8x Bumblebee Gobies added 1.5 months ago

First Try - Figure Eight Puffer added 1.25 month ago.
The F8 had some scar and damage and that I didn't notice until I brought him home.
After three days, started bumping into the glass and decoration and seemed blind.
Thought it might be because of the his prior injuries, so I returned him to the LFS.

Second Try - Figure Eight Puffer added 1 week ago.
After 6 days, started doing the same thing and seemed like he was going blind.

0 Ammonia
0 Nitrite
80 Nitrate

Did a heavy (75%) water change today.

One of the dry ferts that I'm adding is KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate). So I'm going to skip it for a week and keep testing for Nitrate to see if it lowers it.

Should I do a second water change tomorrow?

Any suggestions?

[puffykid]

You need to get the nitrates lower, there is no standard safe level but it is generally agreed upon that for puffers nitrates should be kept below 20

Can you bury the fertilizers under sand and gravel? I don't think having those exposed is healthy for a puffer who are very sensitive to chemicals.

[Iliveinazoo]

If you have a light-moderate planted tank then you are most likely overfertilising. Do you add ferts in dry form or liquid solution? If dry then there is an even stronger possibility that you are overfertilising and risk having undisolved ferts in the aquarium just waiting to be gobbled up at feed time. Are you sure that you need the extra iron?

[scpion]

+1 to above. Ferts are suppose to act as supplement. Sounds like overdosing. Every plants have different needs. Skip the nitrate dosing. The plants have more than enough. And, many would agree that if U want the best for the plants, skip the fish. If U want the best for the f8, keep the simple plants and keep the ferts to a minimal.

Btw, not many plants will survive in brackish. So U really to have decide what U want. Fish or plants.

[babyboyblue]

The plants that I have in this tank would (or at least can) survive brackish water.

But yes, I agree on the ferts.

The puffer passed the following morning of my original post unfortunately.

For two weeks, I'm going to skip ferts for this tank, and 2 water changes per week. Test the water for nitrate and make sure it's <20, and try again.

Thanks for the advice!

[bertie 83]

Sorry you lost him

[Iliveinazoo]

The plants that I have in this tank would (or at least can) survive brackish water.

But yes, I agree on the ferts.

The puffer passed the following morning of my original post unfortunately.

For two weeks, I'm going to skip ferts for this tank, and 2 water changes per week. Test the water for nitrate and make sure it's <20, and try again.

Thanks for the advice!

Sorry for your loss.

I doubt that your plants will maintain the nitrifying bacteria necessary to support a Figure 8 so sprinkle a very small amount of fish food in daily to keep your bacteria levels up.

I'd say don't drop just one fert, just reduce your fertilisation routine, make up a macro and micro solution so that you can dose more accurately as well. It's a good idea to drop the ferts for a while because then you can see how your plants grow without dosing and give you an idea how much you should supplement in the future.

[babyboyblue]

I have Bumblebee Gobies and Ramshorn snails in that tank so I should be fine to help with the bacteria.

This tank started with dry ferts, so I want to see how it does without any dry ferts and if it seems to need a little, use 1/4 my current dosage and see how it goes.

I'm not in a rush to put in another Figure Eight Puffer, and would rather take it slow and make sure everything is good for the puffer before adding another in.

[bertie 83]

Very sensible decision

[Pufferpunk]

I prefer this route for ferts: http://www.yamatogreen.com. I add Jobe's Spikes deep under the roots, 1 spike/10g. I break them up into 1/4.